Questions we are asked

Are your breeding dogs health tested?

Yes, and health testing is the foundation of what an ethical breeder does. Every dog we breed from is DNA tested on a full French Bulldog panel, Respiratory Function Grade assessed for BOAS by a qualified veterinarian, and screened for spinal health. We pair so that no puppy can inherit two copies of any variant on the panel, which means no puppy we produce can be affected by the conditions the panel screens for. You can see the results for each of our dogs on the stud stable page.

What makes an ethical French Bulldog breeder?

Ask to see the health testing. An ethical breeder health tests every dog they breed from, not only the ones with good results, and will show you those results without being asked twice. Look for a full DNA panel, Respiratory Function Grade assessment by a qualified veterinarian, and spinal screening.

Ask what the breeder is doing about the known problems in this breed, particularly breathing and the spine. Ask what happens if something goes wrong in two years time. A health focused breeder will have an answer to all of that and will be glad you asked. We have written a fuller guide to choosing a French Bulldog breeder in Australia covering health testing, registration and what puppies cost.

What is the screwtail gene and why does it matter?

DVL2 is the mutation behind screwtails in French Bulldogs. It also causes the malformed vertebrae known as hemivertebrae, and current evidence suggests it may contribute to breathing problems and other conditions. It sits at very high frequency in the breed, at or near fixation in sampled cohorts.

We produced the world's first purebred French Bulldogs with zero copies of it in April 2024. There is a free plain English guide to DVL2 on this site, along with one on CDDY and disc disease.

Do you have a waitlist and how does it work?

Yes. We are a small scale in home breeder with on average two litters a year, so places are limited. Get in touch if you are considering a puppy in the near future, even if the timing is some way off. Talking early helps us understand what you are looking for. You can see what is coming on the available puppies page.

Do you sell to interstate or overseas buyers?

Yes. Enquiries on puppies and frozen semen are welcome from interstate and overseas.

Puppies going to local homes are usually collected at eight weeks. Puppies travelling interstate or overseas will always be older, and how much older depends entirely on the destination. Every country sets its own minimum age, vaccination and health requirements for importing a dog, and some require a puppy to be six months or older before it can enter. A puppy cannot fly until it meets every requirement of the receiving country.

Where the destination requires an older puppy, it stays here with us, fully socialised, health monitored and cared for as one of our own, until it is old enough to travel and all import paperwork, vaccinations and testing are complete. This extended care is charged separately to the purchase price, and I will give you a clear breakdown of both the timeline and the costs before you commit, so there are no surprises.

Import rules change from time to time. I will confirm the current requirements for your country as part of your enquiry.

What colours do you breed?

All colours and patterns apart from merle. We will not breed merle because of the risks to hearing and vision, particularly when two merles are bred together, and because the allele is not native to the French Bulldog.

Colour has never decided a pairing here. As a health focused breeder we let health and structure decide the pairing, and the colour is whatever it turns out to be. There is more on how we think about this on the breeding program page.

What is a Guardian home?

Our screwtail and IVDD elimination program means we need to keep more puppies than we can have living with us. A Guardian family raises one of our breeding prospects as their own dog from puppyhood, and the dog stays with them for life. On maturity the dog comes back to us briefly for breeding, then goes home. A Guardian agreement applies and there is a questionnaire to complete.

What comes with a puppy?

Puppies are wormed at two, four, six and eight weeks. Microchipping, first vaccination and a health check by a qualified veterinarian are done at around six weeks. Puppies are well socialised in our home before they leave.